More than 100 Iranian schoolgirls hospitalized in new wave of suspected poisonings

Iranian authorities say they are investigating the poisoning of hundreds of schoolgirls across the country.

The mysterious incidents may have been deliberate attacks designed to prevent girls from seeking an education, officials said in recent days, after previously downplaying the issue. Girls and young women have played a prominent role in the protests that have rocked the Islamic Republic.

Local media reports suggest the poisonings have been going on for months and involved dozens of schools in a range of cities, forcing young students to be taken to the hospital after reports of smelling gas.